Djokovic wins in 32 minutes, Nadal breezes

NEW YORK, United States, Sep 3 – Novak Djokovic reached the US Open last 16 in just 32 minutes Friday when Mikhail Youzhny retired injured before fellow two-time winner Rafael Nadal also made the fourth round for the first time in three years.

Defending champion Djokovic was 4-2 ahead in the first set when Russian 34-year-old Youzhny called it quits suffering from a left hamstring injury.

The outcome completed a bizarre first week for world number one Djokovic.

After labouring over four sets to beat Jerzy Janowicz on Monday, he was handed a walkover into the third round when Czech opponent Jiri Vesely withdrew from their second round clash with an arm injury.

“I have never had this happen before in my Grand Slam career, getting a walkover and the next match lasting just half an hour,” said Djokovic.

The top seed next faces Britain’s world number 84 Kyle Edmund who stunned John Isner of the United States 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) to make a Slam fourth round for the first time.

Nadal reached the fourth round for the first time since 2013 — the year of his last New York title — with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over Russia’s Andrey Kuznetsov.

Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova backed up her shock victory over third seed and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza by making the last 16 for the first time with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Kateryna Bondarenko of the Ukraine.

World number 48 Sevastova, who briefly retired in 2013, has matched her best run at a Slam and next faces British 13th seed Johanna Konta who put out Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-1.

German second seed and Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber closes the night session against American 17-year-old CiCi Bellis.

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